Meet the “Non-Reader” - Peter Pappas

Strategies for Struggling Readers

Meet the ¡°Non-Reader¡±

A non-reader lacks the skills of a fluent reader. They read below

grade level and struggles with comprehension, phonics, and

vocabulary. Feelings of defeat have turned off their desire to read

and they exhibits inappropriate behaviors to hide their inability to

read and comprehend. They read very little and do not like to read.

Lacks effective word attack skills.

Exhibits poor comprehension skills.

Has limited language and vocabulary.

What the ¡°Non- Reader¡± says about reading and themselves:

¡°This is boring and frustrating.¡±

¡°I will misbehave, so I won¡¯t have to read.¡±

¡°I can¡¯t understand this assignment.¡±

¡°I will never learn to read for the rest of my life.¡±

¡°I¡¯m stupid ¨C this is stupid ¨C you¡¯re stupid.¡±

What you can do to help the ¡°Non-Reader¡±

?

Evaluate for listening comprehension level versus reading comprehension level to assess

comprehension skills

?

Never engage the class in ¡°round robin¡± reading activities.

?

Evaluate word recognition in isolation versus word recognition in text to assess word analysis

skills.

?

Provide any essential information aloud or taped as the learner follows the print.

?

Use oral or video/movie activities to supplement written activities.

?

Provide a learning environment that does not constantly stretch the student¡¯s level of competency

and utilizes the limited areas of strength.

?

Provide extensive, consistent models of literacy within the student¡¯s grasp.

?

Provide concrete examples, organizers, and demonstrations. Relate and connect ideas, vocabulary,

and skills. Avoid ¡°drill and kill.¡±

?

Structure cooperative group activities that include a role requiring less ¡°traditional¡± literacy skill ¨C

skits, raps, cartoons or visuals

?

Assess learning in non-verbal ways whenever possible: models, demonstrations

Developed by Patricia Martin and Peter Pappas Copyright ? 2006

For more resources: "Content Reading Strategies that Work" | read

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Strategies you can use to help the ¡°Non-Reader¡±

?

Arrange for this student to read easy books to younger students.

?

Group or individual pre-reading: activate prior knowledge and predict.

?

Try a shared reading with a partner to share responsibility for active reading.

?

Work in cooperative groups for focused and specific purposes related to inferential

comprehension.

?

Give numerous opportunities to work with peers to ¡°fill the gaps¡± in comprehension.

?

Use computer programs and other technology resources to support word analysis and

comprehension.

?

Work with combinations of text and audiotape or text and video tape.

?

Use ¡°Telling Boards,¡± where they can draw simple ¡°stick figure sketches¡± based on their ideas or

information they find in text. Use as visual organizers instead of trying to record using words.

?

Stress ideas and organization/structure when encountering text.

?

Provide opportunities for re-readings and choral reading.

?

Use a Readers Theatre to create interest and build skills in reading. Use text as ¡°script¡± ¨C spice it

up with simple ¡°costumes¡± or ¡°sets.¡± Repeated ¡°performances¡± (readings) bring fluency

Give him chances to ¡°publish¡± his work and ¡°tell¡± what he knows about a subject that interests him. He is

motivated when he can successfully get his ideas down on paper.

Reference: Differentiated Instructional Strategies for Reading in the Content Area, Carolyn Chapman and Rita King

Learning Strategies are tools.

What¡¯s in the toolbox for the ¡°Non Reader¡±?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Assess and Conquer

Predicting ABC

K.I.M.

I'll Pause, You Think

What Do You Expect?

Text Investigation

Developed by Patricia Martin and Peter Pappas Copyright ? 2006

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Teacher¡¯s Toolbox

Class:

Unit:

Date:

Source Reading:

Tool: 1

Assess and Conquer

Use this tool:

? Pre-reading

? While reading

Post - reading

This tool will help my students:

? Define

Summarize

Compare

How To Use This Tool:

This tool is best suited to a content subject where understanding a chapter is largely dependent on several

concept words. It focuses the reader on the essential vocabulary. It requires independent thought, pair-share

for rehearsal and support and whole group for clarifying and feedback.

? Choose six to eight concept words from a text/topic that are critical to understanding the

essential ideas of the topic. (i.e. Welding: conductive elements; plasma arc cutting; power

source terminal)

? Write the words on the Assess and Conquer graphic and provide the worksheet to the students.

? Read the list aloud, one word at a time. Have students mark the appropriate box on their sheet

indicating their knowledge of the word.

? Divide the class into mixed-ability pairs. Read the words again giving each pair one minute to

share with each other what they know about the terms.

? Pairs should record a definition or the teacher may want to have the entire class decide on a

definition to be recorded on the Assess and Conquer graphic.

? Instruct the student to read a text selection in search of the words. Remind them to look in titles,

subtitles, boldface, captions, illustrations for the terms. They should compare their definitions

with the way the word is used in the chapter and record their understanding of the words they

didn¡¯t know.

? Assess understanding through generative (verbalizing, illustrating, explaining) tests rather than

responsive (multiple choice) tests

To Increase Rigor and Relevance:

1. Have students write a chapter summary using the words.

2. Have students classify or categorize the terms and explain their system of comparing/relating the terms.

3. Assess understanding through verbalizing, illustrating, explaining tests rather than multiple choice tests.

Reference: Literacy Strategies for Grades 4-12 Karen Tankerley

Developed by Patricia Martin and Peter Pappas Copyright ? 2006

For more resources: "Content Reading Strategies that Work" | read

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Reader¡¯s Toolbox

Tool: 1

Assess and Conquer

I can use this tool:

? Before I read

? While I read

After I read

This tool will help me:

? Learn new words

Summarize what I read

Compare information and ideas

Student Name:

Class:

Due Date:

Reading Assignment:

How I use this tool: I assess my understanding of key terms before reading so I can conquer the reading. I

work with a partner, with the class and on my own as a learner.

Topic:

Key Term

Title of Selection:

My Knowledge Rating

Know

Not

Don¡¯t

Term

Sure

Know

Definition

Here¡¯s something I learned by using this tool:

Developed by Patricia Martin and Peter Pappas Copyright ? 2006

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Tool: 2

Predicting ABC¡¯s

Teacher¡¯s Toolbox

Use this tool:

? Pre-reading

While reading

Post - reading

This tool will help my students:

? Define

Summarize

Compare

Class:

Unit:

Date:

Source Reading:

How To Use This Tool: This activity activates schema and provides an easily accessed classification

system of the words needed to complete a reading assignment. The activity can be done whole group to

provide a reference tool for the struggling reader. The words can easily be transferred to a word wall by the

teacher or the more able students.

1. Explain that thinking about key words before reading helps the reader prepare for reading.

2. Use a blank transparency of the ABC¡¯s graphic to model the strategy.

3. Tell students that they are about to read a chapter about the solar system. Ask them to call out the

words that they would expect to find in the chapter.

4. Write their responses in the appropriate boxes on the blank transparency.

5. Repeat every word clearly so that the pronunciation is clear and is associated with that word in print.

6. Give students the subject of the assignment they will read next.

7. Ask students to work in pairs to brainstorm and record on an ABC¡¯s graphic as many words related

to the subject as they can.

8. Write down the vocabulary words on a blank transparency and have students correct any

misspellings on their charts.

9. Have students skim the assignments to add any boldface words or words in the titles and subtitles to

their ABC¡¯s graphic.

10. Have students watch for these words as they read.

A-B

black hole

astronauts

I-J

K-L

Jupiter

G-H

S-T

Stars

Saturn

space ship

O-P

M-N

Mars

meteor

Q-R

Quasar

E-F

C-D

Comet

constellations

Neptune

U-V

Pluto

W-X-Y-Z

Uranus

To Increase Rigor and Relevance:

1. Allow students to devise word games using the words.

2. Require students to use words from ABC¡¯s graphic when writing a summary or responses to questions.

3. Have student classify words using a system other than ABC.

4. Have students design an ABC book of the terms for a group of younger students.

5. Require students to use words from ABC¡¯s graphic when writing a summary or responses to questions.

Reference: Yellow Brick Road by Janet Allen

Developed by Patricia Martin and Peter Pappas Copyright ? 2006

For more resources: "Content Reading Strategies that Work" | read

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